Martin McCluskey MP on CalMac, Diodes and ScotRail fares

One of the pleasures of the parliamentary recess (apart from spending more time at home and getting to see more than usual of family!) is the opportunity to be out and about across Inverclyde, meeting people at surgeries, and visiting local businesses and third-sector organisations to hear about their work and the issues they are facing.

This is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, and an unusual feature of the British political system that, for all its flaws, helps keep politicians in touch with people and their concerns.

I learn a huge amount from my surgeries and from visits. The concerns raised with me provide the basis for the work I do in Parliament and with Government ministers.

CalMac and Diodes: Looking to the future

During the election campaign, I promised that I would meet with the largest employers in our area to understand the issues there are facing and how I could help.

This week, I met with two companies who between them are employing over 600 people in Inverclyde – CalMac and Diodes.

CalMac are an important local employer, with around 350 staff based out of the Gourock office, working across a range of areas for the company.

Around 350 CalMac staff are based at the company's Gourock HQ. (Image: George Munro)

This vital role for CalMac in our local economy looks set to continue, with the news that their contract to run ferries across the west coast has been extended for another year, and the possibility of a direct award going forward.

CalMac is owned by the Scottish Government and thus, ultimately, by the Scottish taxpayer. We all have an interest in seeing it succeed and thrive.

At Diodes, later in the week, I met with the team there to hear about their plans.

Readers of the Tele might remember that just a few years ago, Diodes was facing the prospect of closure and a loss of jobs. Joint action between Inverclyde Council and Scottish Enterprise, together with significant investment from the business itself, saved the plant and it is now going from strength to strength.

The Diodes plant is going from strength to strength after being saved from the threat of closure. (Image: Google Street View)

During the election, I spoke about how we need to attract new businesses to Inverclyde, but we also needed to build on what we already have. Both Diodes and CalMac are examples of companies we need to continue to support over the coming years. Both have the potential to contribute even more to our local economy.

Disappointment for rail users

The announcement from the Scottish Government that it is reinstating peak rail fares from September 27 will have come as a blow to many long-suffering commuters.

The move will see many fares almost double. As reported in the Tele this week, a return from Greenock Central to Glasgow was £6.80 when peak fares were abolished almost a year ago; their return will see that increase to at least £10.

The move to abolish peak rail fares, which the Labour Party supported, was a good idea, designed to encourage commuters back onto our railways following the Covid pandemic’s devastating effects on public transport usage.

The trial scheme abolishing peak fares on ScotRail trains will end on September 27. (Image: Geogre Munro)

We need to get people back on to public transport if we are to meet our ongoing climate and net zero commitments, albeit these were downgraded by the Scottish Government earlier this year.

And the scheme worked on these terms. It may not have met the target of a 10 per cent increase in passengers, but it did see a 6.8 per cent increase in usage in just one year – a year hampered by strikes, reduced timetables, unreliable service and price rises.

Given that context, a 6.8 per cent increase is a remarkable success. The re-introduction of peak fares now risks those commuters moving away from the train and back to their cars.

Labour backed the move because we knew it would give much-needed relief to individuals and families struggling in a cost of living crisis. And those circumstances have not changed.

Peak fares are a tax on hard-pressed workers trying to travel to work in a sustainable way. An affordable and reliable rail service can unlock huge environmental and economic benefits for our country. But it requires a Scottish Government of long-term vision to build that service, to manage it properly, and to stay the course.